Taiwan has implemented a ban on the utilization of DeepSeek by government agencies over worries related to security. The Ministry of Digital Affairs in Taiwan has officially declared that the technology poses a threat to national information security. The recent introduction of the R1 model by the Chinese AI lab has caused significant ripples across various markets.
The Ministry of Digital Affairs in Taiwan released a statement on Friday highlighting the security concerns that led to the decision to prohibit government agencies from using DeepSeek. The statement emphasized that employees in the public sector and critical infrastructure facilities should refrain from employing the technology developed by the Chinese company. The reasoning behind this decision is that the operation of DeepSeek involves cross-border data transmission and potential information leakage, hence posing a risk to national information security.
DeepSeek, a notable Chinese AI lab, gained attention in January after unveiling its latest flagship model, the R1. This model is said to possess reasoning capabilities comparable to prominent US models like OpenAI’s o1 but at a significantly lower cost. The debut of the R1 caused disturbances in AI markets, leading to a decline in AI-related stocks during the previous week.
Despite its technological advancements, DeepSeek has encountered regulatory challenges in various countries. Italy’s Data Protection Authority, known as Garante, announced the blocking of access to the DeepSeek app to safeguard the personal data of Italian users. Garante expressed dissatisfaction with DeepSeek’s response regarding the app’s handling of personal data, prompting the launch of an investigation.
In a similar vein, the Data Protection Commission in Ireland requested further information from DeepSeek regarding its data processing practices for Irish users. Meanwhile, in the UK, AI Minister Feryal Clark cautioned British citizens contemplating the use of DeepSeek. Clark advised individuals to be aware of the potential risks associated with downloading the app and to understand how their data will be utilized.
DeepSeek, initially conceived as an AI project by Chinese entrepreneur Liang Wenfeng, was established in 2023. The company’s trajectory and reception in various countries underscore the complex interplay between technological innovation, data protection, and national security concerns.
